Wounds Not Even Time Can Heal
by KadenKryptonite
Summary: Dan Phantom is Clockwork's object of obsession, but after all he is the same ghost who's almost single-handedly responsible for taking away all Dan's ever had and forcing him into the dreaded thermos. Is their happy ending at all possible? Probably not.


**Remember that fluff I promised you? Yeah, this isn't it.**

**I wanted to write something a bit darker. Submissive Clockwork is so addictive to write. I think I may continue this, especially if anyone would like to see it continued.**

**Warning(s): Male/male sex (consenting), minor sadomasochism, blood play.**

Everyday Clockwork was tasked with maintaining the timeline, overseeing everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen. It becomes difficult to differentiate one moment from the next; one thing the time master has gotten good at: moving on. Every day, he has to deal with other people's tragedy: death, fates that are far worse than death, disease, betrayal, losing everything one cares about.

He's learned to put things behind him. If you don't care, it can't hurt you.

Recently, Clockwork found himself unable to stop thinking about the fate of Dark Dan Phantom. That may have been caused by the fact that the man has been sitting on his table for the longest of time- trapped in the cylindrical container which is the Fenton thermos.

He hesitantly ventured over to hold the containment in his hands. The metal was dented and worn yet still smooth and extremely cold against his skin; it was almost time. The thermos would soon give in to itself, and the ghost inside would be free.

If that wasn't so pressing, it would be enough to make the man forget what he held contained a living being. Dan was a living being in a way, just as all ghosts were. His heart may not beat, but he still felt the emotions humans felt as well. Isn't that enough?

His thumb skimmed over the release button. He's contemplated the idea many times although stopped every time in fear of not knowing the outcome.

"Dan," Clockwork mumbled while tightening his grip on the metal. He was unsure if the ghost inside could hear him or not; the thermos blocked most sound- unless said creature or person inside was exceptionally loud or angry. It was frightening that the phantom inside was not making any such noises.

He set it down on the table-like structure by the exit; it was the same place it'd always been ever since he'd taken the thermos. The only time it wasn't there was when Clockwork had picked it up. He only ever held it, nothing more- except for the times Dan had tried to converse with him. That always earned him an abrupt shake from the Time Master.

He told himself he didn't take to holding it often, which to himself, he really didn't. Time moved slowly for Clockwork, and holding the container twice in one day wasn't much to him although it'd be a lot to a human. It would almost seem like an obsession.

The Observants would get angry with him over their disagreements about the timeline: he'd hold the thermos. He watched disasters he could've prevented if only he'd been allowed: he'd hold the thermos again. He watched people lose their loved ones to disease, murder, freak accidents: he'd hold the thermos.

The only time he'd avoid the same thermos like it was the plague was after he'd seen someone commit suicide. That was the time when he'd call it a day and return to his room and curl up on the large circular bed draped in purple. Even the cold metal container couldn't soothe the hurt those scenarios brought.

A rattle brought his attention back to the table. There it was, the object of his obsession tipping slightly as if a force on the inside was finally moving it. His eyes widened; he knew he could stop it. All he had to do was utter those two words, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He was making the biggest screw-up of his existence, and not because he'd thought it out- not because he desired the outcome-not even because he just screwed up. Ghosts like Clockwork don't 'screw-up'; no, all because he couldn't bring himself to say the two one-syllable words he was wired to speak.

_Time Out. _

The words were thought weakly, still unable to leave his lips.

The Observants will have his head for this.

The thermos hit the ground with a thud that reverberated around the quiet room with a seemingly thundering crack. The ghost knew there was already a crack in it to begin with; Dan had no doubt been ghostly wailing inside it. With a fall such as this, it didn't stand a chance.

"Oh no, oh no." Clockwork gasped, images running through his head of what could- what will- happen now that _he_ was loose. He backed away from the blue light emitting from the crack in the thermos. It was definitely releasing.

The thermos fell. One would expect it to just casually drift like most human items in the Ghost Zone did, but the container was made with ghostly elements and not to mention practically glowing with ghostly energy the Phantom was supplying it.

"Hah!" The Phantom gasped as the blue light dissuaded leaving him smugly standing there, facing Clockwork- the only ghost he hated more than his younger self or Plasmius. "I'm finally out of that blasted thing!"

He turned towards the purple-cloaked ghost who was standing there, dumbfounded. "Ah, Clockwork, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Monster would be a more appropriate term."

Two steps towards the purple clad ghost. "I never knew you thought so highly of me." Dan purred in a way where it was obviously not intended to be seductive. Two more steps. They were mere inches from each other now.

"What do you plan on doing?" Clockwork asked, lazily, as if he didn't already know the gist of things.

Dan smirked, placing a hand against the gear adorned wall next to the Time Master's head. "Well, first off, I have to deal with you, I suppose."

Clockwork shuddered in… anticipation?

Albeit, Dan didn't have the same ideas in mind which soon became obvious as he reached down to grasp the other man's time staff and force it from his pathetic grasp.

He frowned at the setback. He wasn't expecting Dan to take the staff of all things from him, and as such, Clockwork's grip on said staff was weak. There wasn't much the Phantom could do with it anyway, making it only a minor inconvenience.

"Really Dan, I thought we were past this childish nonsense?" Clockwork stated, reminding the ghost of his past ten years outside the thermos. They'd had their run-ins; it was obvious who was more superior.

"Oh we are, Clockwork. This time, it won't be such a childish game." Dan growled, pointing the staff as if it was a sword of some type.

'He has such a way with theatrics, must get it from Vlad's side.' Clockwork rolled his eyes and conjured his blue ghostly ray around his extended hand. "Must we?"

"I'm the Master of Time now, Clockwork!" Dan glared and extended his arms outward as if _trying_ to make a target of himself. "Hit me with your best shot!"

"Since you asked so nicely," Clockwork smirked and fired. The swirling blue energy released from his palm and with such a force only seen in the strongest of ghosts shot directly at the man challenging him.

"Time Out!" Dan shouted, his thumb slamming down on the staff's lone button. Unexpectedly to him, time continued on. His red eyes widened as he barely had time to dodge the ghost ray aimed directly at his face. "What gives?" He asked, glaring down at the purple staff and clicking the button a few more times for good measure.

"Dan," Clockwork tsk'd. "You may have my staff, but time still obeys _me_. You do not possess the power to wield that which is not yours."

"You've got to be kidding." Dan pressed his free hand to his forehead. "I stole this piece of junk for nothing?" Had he still completely had the mind of his younger self, the man would've abandoned the time staff as soon as he realized it was nothing more than an elaborate stick to him, but that did not remain the case with Dan Phantom. He _was_ part Vladimir Masters after all.

"It's useless to you. Return it to me." Clockwork held a gloved hand out expectantly.

"You think I'm stupid? It may not make time my ally, but it certainly is enough to cripple you." Dan laughed. "After all, you should have ended this fight by now. _Unless you can't._ Without this staff, you are just like any other ordinary ghost."

Why deny something that was true? Especially since the other had already figured it out of his own accord. "It's true. I cannot channel my time abilities without it, but I'm certainly not helpless; my ghost powers far exceed 'any other ordinary ghost'."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm not an ordinary ghost, eh, Clock?"

Clockwork raised an eyebrow and ignored the taunt. "Are you going to time in? For someone who desires my position, you sure do a horrible job at it."

Dan looked down at the staff he still held firmly. He'd forgotten he'd timed out... wait, Clockwork had told him time wouldn't obey him. He was teasing him? He sneered. "You're hilarious."

"I try."

Dan flew closer to the ability-lacking time master, careful to keep the staff away from his reach. "You seem docile. For someone who's making it a big point to clarify that they're still 'all-powerful', you don't seem to be doing a good job of stopping me." He pushed a hand onto Clockwork's shoulder, roughly forcing him against the wall. "What's stopping me from leaving and destroying this staff into irreparable bits?"

Clockwork shrugged, an effect ruined by the fact that only one shoulder was free for such movement. "You tell me."

Dan narrowed his eyes. "Suck me off."

Clockwork's eyes widened. That was definitely not where he was going with that. "I will not!"

He roughly pushed the other ghost to his knees. "Oh, I think you will. You see, _Clocky_, I have a feeling you like me more than you let on. Maybe it was all that time you spent holding my thermos." He smirked down at the man. "Don't give me that look; I knew."

The time master tipped his head up at the man. "I don't have to explain myself to _you_." He smacked Dan's hand away from his shoulder and rose off the ground, his light blue spectral tail returning to its normal length. "If it's not yet clear, I still refuse."

"Did I say you had a choice?" Dan gripped his wrist as Clockwork turned to move away. "_Don't you dare turn your back on me_!"

The ghost spun around in his grip. "Did I stutter Daniel? _I will not_. My choice is my own. Go direct your sexual urges at someone who gives a fuck."

Dan blinked as if taken aback. Did Clockwork just swear? He did, didn't he? Dan hunched over and laughed, startling the furious ghost he still held on to. "I never thought you of all people would swear. It seems you _can_ come down off your high horse. Oh this is priceless."

Clockwork blinked. He didn't even realize he had sworn; he tried not to do such vulgar things. The situation must have gone a little farther than he had originally intended.

Dan smirked and gripped Clockwork's other wrist with his free hand. He released his hold on the useless staff to do so. Pulling his arms up, he pinned them on the wall above his head and roughly stole Clockwork's lips with his own. Instantly the time master melted into the kiss.

He wanted to touch Dan badly. He was sure the other man could hear his clock ticking quite loudly and off-rhythm.

Dan pulled away and smirked. "Not so resistant after all, I see."

"I won't do it. It's degrading." Clockwork shook his head.

"We'll see." Dan leaned down and kissed the other man again, their tongues entwining. He dropped his wrists and lowered his own hands to rest around the time master's waist, just above where his tail began. "Crap." Dan muttered, pulling away and looking down at the smaller man.

"What?" Clockwork frowned. "Why'd you stop?"

"You don't have legs."

He wasn't sure what urge was stronger, the one to smack the man or the one to laugh at him. "What's wrong with just kissing? All you seem to think about is getting in to my pants... or me into yours."

"Do I look like the 'just kissing' type, Clockwork?" Dan asked seriously.

The answer was 'no', but instead of answering with such, Clockwork let his legs form- wrapping his arms around Dan's neck as he did so. He hadn't formed them in such a long time; it was obvious they'd be hesitant to work properly.

Now Dan's hands were wrapped around the waist of a man who clearly had legs. Dan blinked. A man who had legs but seemed to be lacking in the pants department.

He laughed again, something which he seemed to be doing a lot of tonight. "You, you're _naked_?"

Clockwork blushed. "It's not like I ever use my legs. Haven't you ever noticed that my tail is the same color as my skin?"

"I, uh, just thought that-"

"You're hopeless." Clockwork interrupted his stammering and asked irritably, "What color is your tail?" If they kept this up, the mood would be gone completely.

"Black."

"What color is your jumpsuit?"

"Bla- Oh." Dan frowned. "We should just pretend this conversation never happened." Clockwork rolled his eyes, and Dan took that as an agreement and bent down to hungrily kiss the ghost before trailing his own tongue down the man's jaw line and neck.

The flesh he found there was soft and tantalizingly warm for someone not living. It disappointed him he couldn't feel a heartbeat throbbing. No matter. He pierced his fanged teeth deep into the smooth skin, instantly drawing blood. Clockwork gasped and clamped his hands in the black and white fabric of Dan's cape.

He lapped up the ectoplasm leaking from the puncture wounds. It tasted just like blood would be expected to, if not a little sweeter. Dan latched on to the wound and sucked, scraping his fangs against the skin once there was nothing left for the wound to yield.

"Dan!" Clockwork gasped in pain, but it was pleasured sounds his mouth was making. Dan smirked, unzipping the front of his suit and pulling it down, so the top half pooled around his waist. He looked over at his temporary lover and scowled as he realized the man was wearing a long sleeved shirt under a cloak- not to mention enough watches to never have an excuse for not knowing the time.

He sighed and did the first thing that came to mind. He hooked his claw-like finger nail in the first seem and sliced downwards. The clothing ripped perfectly, and he was able to pull it right off the ghost, revealing light skin a shade much bluer than his own.

"Do you mind? That was my good shirt."

Dan growled. "You can get a new one." He leaned his head down and licked up Clockwork's chest, careful to avoid the glass plating of his clock; he'd find out what _that_ did later.

He bit down on the first bit of flesh he came in contact with- the skin on his chest adjacent to the transparent door of his clock. Clockwork moaned and shot his head back. His purple hood fell off, revealing startling silvery-white hair combed backwards.

"B-bed!" He managed to gasp out through shivers of the strange pain-pleasure.

"Where would that be?" Dan snapped, clearly not pleased with how sentimental Clockwork was trying to make this.

He snapped his head in a gesture to the side. "Hallway. L-last door. Left."

Dan tightened his grip around his waist and half-carried half-dragged the time ghost to the bedroom where he practically threw him onto the purple bed. He pulled off his gloves and the rest of his jumpsuit and was officially naked- going commando certainly can come in handy.

Clockwork did the same and shrugged out of his cloak and with a bit of tugging managed to get his gloves off without removing the watches that adorned them. There was now a significant pile of black, white, and purple clothing lying discarded on the floor- tangled together as the men they belonged to would soon be.

They were both obviously hard by now, and in a way that proved he cared only for his own pleasure, Dan slipped his member into the time master's ass.

He groaned in pain, "You could have at least warned me."

Dan ignored him and, without giving Clockwork the proper time needed to adjust, began thrusting in and out.

Clockwork let loose quiet moans and sighs through the pain. Sure it hurt, but it could never compare to the emotional pain he had dealt Dan all those years ago. He liked this pain; it hurt, and he deserved it.

He'd let Dan do whatever he wanted.

Wincing has Dan thrust in particularly roughly while racking his claws against Clockwork's chest, arms, and thighs- anywhere he could get his hands on.

Clockwork could probably stop this if he wanted to although he wasn't anywhere near his staff anymore; it lay abandoned with his tattered shirt. Why did he let this happen? It's not that he wasn't enjoying it. He _wanted_ this.

He moaned and griped the man's shoulders as Dan buried himself deep inside his warmth. "Ah."

"You're mine, Clockwork. I want to hear you scream for me."

"D-dan! Please stop teasing." Clockwork groaned at the Phantom's sudden stillness inside of him.

"Since you asked so nicely," Dan pulled out abruptly and slammed himself all the way back in to the hilt, successfully hitting the Time Master's prostate for the first time.

"Dan!" Clockwork screamed, if not from pleasure or pain, for the other's satisfaction. "Oh god, Dan!" He involuntarily arched up and released onto the other's stomach while moaning like he was some sort of whore. He supposed he was in a way; after all, he wasn't even quite sure if his moans were legitimate or forged to please the man above him.

Dan continued to pound into the man's ass, seemingly oblivious to the other's climax. Reaching his own was much more important to him at the moment, and it was a moment of pure bliss when he was finally able to release himself into Clockwork.

He groaned and slumped down to messily kiss the other.

Dan pulled out and laid down on top the ghost for the time being, careful not to crush him under his weight. Ignoring the sweat dripping off of both of them, he looked straight into Clockwork's red eyes and calmly declared, "I hate you Clockwork."

Clockwork's eyes revealed nothing. His voice didn't betray him either as he calmly and equally affirmed, "You should."

**Reviews please? *bats eyelashes* **


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